Martin Green, Eurovision Director, refrained from addressing Slovenia, Iceland, and Spain’s boycott threats over Israel’s participation. What does this imply about the EBU’s stance?
Martin Green, the Director of Eurovision, was asked about the threats from Slovenia, Iceland, and Spain to withdraw from the contest over Israel’s participation. He chose not to respond beyond a statement he had already issued last week. Are the winds shifting?
Over the past week, three countries – Slovenia, Iceland, and Spain – have threatened to withdraw from Eurovision following Israel’s inclusion. These countries, known for their criticism of Israel in the international arena and for imposing sanctions on its government and citizens, raised their voices against participation. Following Slovenia’s threats, Green was questioned by British media and issued a short, measured response:
“We will respect every decision made by each national broadcaster, it is solely their decision whether to participate”.
Yesterday, when Iceland and Spain joined the threats, Green once again chose not to comment, signaling that he may not want to give too much weight to these developments.
Spain, Iceland, and Slovenia stand as a counterweight to Germany and Italy, who, according to various reports, threatened to do the opposite – withdraw if Israel were excluded. Compared to the significant financial influence of Germany and Italy, who fund a large portion of Eurovision’s expenses on their own, the economic impact of Slovenia, Iceland, and Spain is minimal. With the backing of two members of the Big 5, along with the host country Austria, and the fact that Eurovision’s main sponsor is Israeli, the influence of these three countries seems largely diminished.
Nevertheless, it is important to remember that the international stage is constantly shifting, and every move by Israel’s government is closely scrutinized, including within the European Broadcasting Union. Although Eurovision is intended to remain apolitical, it is increasingly evident that politics has become an inseparable part of the contest.
Israel at Eurovision 2025
“New Day Will Rise” is the song performed by Yuval Raphael, who was chosen to represent Israel after winning the 11th season of “HaKokhav HaBa”. Israel advanced to the final after winning the second semi-final with 203 points and finished second overall with 436 points in the grand final. Israel ranked first in the public vote but only 14th with the jury. This marks the third consecutive year that Israel has reached the top five – an unprecedented achievement.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Israel’s 48th participation in Eurovision. Israel joined the contest in 1973 and has won four times. Its most recent victory was at Eurovision 2018 with the song “Toy”, performed by singer Netta Barzilai.
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Ilay Gaist is a leading Israeli content creator and writer specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is a well-known commentator with extensive expertise in the contest’s history, rules, and dynamics. His passion for Eurovision drives him to deliver rich, professional, and innovative content to his audience.
Ilay holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and has a multilingual background. He also engages in cultural research, with a particular focus on global culinary traditions and the evolution of local cuisines around the world.
